List of deputy prime ministers of Luxembourg

Deputy Prime Minister of Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Luxembourgish: Vize-Premierminister vu Lëtzebuerg
French: Vice-Premier ministre luxembourgeois
German: Vize-Premierminister von Luxemburg
Incumbent
Xavier Bettel
since 17 November 2023
Executive branch of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
StyleMr. Deputy Prime Minister (informal)
The Honourable (formal)
StatusSecond highest executive branch officer
Member of
SeatLuxembourg City
AppointerPrime Minister
Term lengthNo fixed term
Constituting instrumentConstitution of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Formation2 March 1959 (1959-03-02)
First holderEugène Schaus
Unofficial namesVice Prime Minister
"Vize Premier"
Websitegouvernement.lu

The deputy prime minister of Luxembourg (Luxembourgish: Vize-Premierminister vu Lëtzebuerg, lit.'Vice-Prime Minister of Luxembourg') is the second-highest position in the government of Luxembourg. The deputy serves a vital function in Luxembourg's collegiate cabinet system, deputises for the prime minister when he is absent, represents his or her own political party, and holds other government positions.

Since the position was created, in 1959, almost all governments have been coalitions of two of the three major parties: the Christian Social People's Party (CSV), the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), and the Democratic Party (DP). The current government consists of the CSV and the DP. The deputy prime minister has always been a leading politician from the junior coalition partner. During Xavier Bettel's second term as Prime Minister (2018-2023), the position was shared by a First and Second Deputy Prime Minister, representing the two junior partners in the coalition respectively (the LSAP and déi Gréng).

Since 1989, the title of Deputy Prime Minister has been an official one,[1] although the position had been unofficially known by that name since its creation. From the position's creation until 1989, the deputy prime minister went by the title of Vice-President of the Government. This mirrored the prime minister's title, which was President of the Government until 1989.[2] The name Vice Prime Minister is also used.

List of deputy prime ministers

Deputy Prime Minister Party Start date End date Reason for departure Prime Minister Government
Deputy Prime Minister (since 2 March 1959)
Eugène Schaus DP 2 March 1959 15 July 1964 Coalition partner changed[3] Pierre Werner Werner-Schaus I
Henry Cravatte LSAP 15 July 1964 6 February 1969 Coalition partner changed[4] Werner-Cravatte
Eugène Schaus DP 6 February 1969 15 June 1974 Government lost election[5] Werner-Schaus II
Raymond Vouel LSAP 15 June 1974 21 July 1976 Appointed to EC Commission[5] Gaston Thorn Thorn
Bernard Berg LSAP 21 July 1976 16 July 1979 Government lost election[6] Thorn
Gaston Thorn DP 16 July 1979 22 November 1980 Appointed EC President[7] Pierre Werner Werner-Thorn-Flesch
Colette Flesch DP 22 November 1980 20 July 1984 Coalition partner changed[8] Werner-Thorn-Flesch
Jacques Poos LSAP 20 July 1984 26 January 1995 Coalition partner changed[9] Jacques Santer Santer-Poos I, II and III
26 January 1995 7 August 1999 Jean-Claude Juncker Juncker-Poos
Lydie Polfer DP 7 August 1999 31 July 2004 Coalition partner changed Juncker-Polfer
Jean Asselborn LSAP 31 July 2004 4 December 2013 Resigned Juncker-Asselborn I and II
Xavier Bettel DP 17 November 2023 Incumbent Luc Frieden Frieden-Bettel Government
First Deputy Prime Minister (4 December 2013 – 17 November 2023)
Etienne Schneider LSAP 4 December 2013 4 February 2020 Resigned Xavier Bettel Bettel I and II
Dan Kersch LSAP 4 February 2020 5 January 2022 Resigned Bettel II
Paulette Lenert LSAP 5 January 2022 17 November 2023 Government lost election Bettel II
Second Deputy Prime Minister (5 December 2018 – 17 November 2023)
Félix Braz DG 5 December 2018 11 October 2019 Health Xavier Bettel Bettel II
François Bausch DG 11 October 2019 17 November 2023 Government lost election Bettel II

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ Thewes (2003), p. 205
  2. ^ Thewes (2003), p. 209
  3. ^ Thewes (2003), p. 160
  4. ^ Thewes (2003), p. 172
  5. ^ a b Thewes (2003), p. 182
  6. ^ Thewes (2003), p. 192
  7. ^ Thewes (2003), pp. 192-3
  8. ^ Thewes (2003), p. 204
  9. ^ Thewes (2003), p. 230

References

  • Thewes, Guy (July 2003). Les gouvernements du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg depuis 1848 (PDF) (in French) (Édition limitée ed.). Luxembourg City: Service Information et Presse. ISBN 2-87999-118-8. Retrieved 2006-07-19.